Richard ThompsonSweet Warrior

The ever-prolific Thompson never seems at a loss when it comes to rallying against the vulgarity and hypocrisy he sees around him, and this latest broadside is another standout in the string of high-quality releases dating back to 2001s Mock Tudor. In fact, the sheer weight of Thompsons catalogue, which began in the late 60s with Fairport Convention, always makes it a daunting prospect to fully digest a new album upon first listen. Still, his equally potent writing and lead guitar chops are clearly in top form on opener "Needle And Thread, followed a little later by one of his better ballads, "Take Care The Road You Choose. But as the albums title (borrowed from an Edmund Spenser poem) suggests, Thompson has war on his mind. In the past, the subject has often inspired some of his best work and on "Dads Gonna Kill Me, he puts himself in an Iraqi soldiers boots and doesnt hold back: "Its someone elses mess that I didnt choose/At least were winning on the Fox Evening News. Thompson takes a much more sombre position immediately after with "Poppy-Red but on the epic "Guns Are The Tongues, he goes further into the nature of how some can be manipulated into carrying out unimaginable brutality. Sweet Warrior is tough stuff but Thompson fans wouldnt expect anything less. Long may he rage.
(Shout! Factory)